Wilcox Jr. helps Terriers edge Sharks

Senior standout buries big 3 to cap Battle of Borough win

January 19, 2023 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Roy Clarke led a strong second-half surge for SFC as it held off LIU Monday at Downtown's Wellness Center for its third straight win. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

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Much as he has done throughout his senior campaign, Tedrick Wilcox Jr., settled matters for the St. Francis Brooklyn men’s basketball team.

But it had to be a little sweeter doing so against the arch rival Long Island University Sharks Monday at the Stainberg Wellness Center.

Wilcox Jr. continued his recent scoring spree with a team-high 17 points, including the clinching 3-pointer with just over a minute to play, as the Terriers ran their season-high winning streak to three games with a 73-66 victory over the Sharks in front of 300 fans at the Steinberg Wellness Center.

LIU (2-16, 0-6 Northeast Conference) was still aiming for its first league win of the season, taking a one-point lead on sharpshooter Marko Maletic’s 3-pointer with 2:40 remaining in regulation.

Zion Bethea answered with a layup for the Terriers (9-9, 2-3) before Andre Washington missed a jumper on the other end for the Sharks.

Wilcox Jr., who is averaging nearly 22 points per contest during SFC’s resurgence in the NEC standings following an 0-3 start to league play, splashed a shot from beyond the arc with 1:19 left to give the Terriers a 70-66 cushion.

Roy Clarke scored 11 of his 13 points after intermission and Syrus Grisby added 10 points for SFC, which will shoot for its fourth consecutive win Friday night in Loretto, Pennsylvania against St. Francis University.

Quion Burns paced four LIU players in double figures in scoring with a game-high 19 points.

Maletic added 14 points, C.J. Delancy had 13 and Washington finished with 12 for the Sharks, who will try to end a six-game losing skid Friday night here vs. Stonehill.

Over at The ARC on Monday, Alyssa Fisher poured in 20 points, Sheridan Kavanagh added 15 and Tara Myers finished with 14 as the SFC ladies held off LIU, 66-60, in front of 90 fans on the campus of Pratt Institute.

Tara Myers earned NEC Prime Performer honors this week after helping the Terriers edge the Sharks for their third win in four contests. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

Fisher and Myers were named NEC Prime Performers this week after combining to average better than 32 points per game in wins over Sacred Heart and the Sharks (2-15, 0-5).

LIU appeared poised to end its 13-game losing streak with a two-point lead late in the first half, but Kavanagh and Myers scored on back-to-back trips to give the Terriers (4-12, 3-1) the lead for good, 59-57.

Myers made it stand up with a running floater as SFC held on for its third win in four games entering Thursday night’s visits to Fairleigh Dickinson in Teaneck, N.J., where the Terriers will try to end a 10-game road losing streak.

The Sharks will take their sixth shot at their first NEC win Thursday at the Wellness Center vs. visiting Central Connecticut State.

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In local Division III hoops action, Gianna Gotti shot the lights out at Nat Holman Gymnasium in Manhattan Wednesday evening, amassing 32 points to lift Brooklyn College over CCNY, 105-44, in front of 103 enthusiasts.

Gotti made 13-of-17 shots from the floor and went 5-of-6 at the line for the Bulldogs (9-7, 6-0 CUNYAC), who remained unbeaten in conference play and rolled to their fifth straight win overall.